Category: Entertainment

Smile Children, It’s Jai Ho

· 2 Comments ·

Children forget to live their lives in the role play cut to shape for them by others who have vested interest. The most recent example is the kids of Slumdog Millionaire. From slum to millionaire is a beautiful portrayal of aspiration, but not so when it comes to the characters in flesh and blood.

The starry nights from Oscars to Golden Globe to National awards and Filmfare is a fairy tale story for all those children of streets and slums. Their life goes for a further makeover with every opportunity that follows them. Whether they understand fashion or politics is immaterial, the children are part of every possible event. Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail of Slumdog fame not only walked the ramp with models and actors at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in Delhi but also participated as the prop for election campaigns.

The shutter bugs, as usual, are busy chasing their beats. Even when Azharuddin is beaten up by his father, it made to pages of the daily and reason for discussions in television.

Yet thanks to their nose for news, and unbiased approach, they managed to trace some “star” children who got recognition world wide and were out of sight all this while. Did anyone of us ever wonder what could happen to such children once they grow up?

A flashback. With millions of dreams and million dollar question in heart the children, who were part of the Oscar-winning documentary Born Into Brothels in 1995, walked the stage of Kodak Theatre to receive the prestigious Oscars.

It was also a once in a lifetime chance to change their lives.

Zana Briski, the director of the film, along with well wishers had offered to help these children. Currently while two of them are pursing education abroad, others are educating themselves living in India. Ironically Preeti Mukherjee who decided to return, today lives to tell the real story as a sex worker. It is very unfortunate to see her join her mother in the profession.

Though Zana has been upset that she could not rescue the kid, “At this age, I have a flat, a laptop, costly phones and plenty of money. What do I lack?” Preeti has been quoted saying.

It is no surprise then to find the children of Slumdog still living in anticipation even if their schools have closed door on them for their non-attendance. They have got a second chance – Rubina and Azharuddin have been awarded scholarships for free education, a noble attempt by a self-help group.

“I want to make full use of this opportunity and study hard and when I grow up I want to become a successful actor like Salman Khan.” That is Azharuddin’s dream.

For Pinki, the main protagonist of Oscar winning documentary Smile Pinki, it has been a journey from being a social outcast in her village to her acceptance. Back in school with many friends, it is difficult to even picture her with no friends and the truth that she was once ostracised and teased. “Today, she’s the star.”

It is almost a month since the Oscars. However, the media has not let the fever die. The news chasers, in the process, has unknowingly hit upon information that really needed some follow ups. Perhaps their efforts can be a turning point.

Stars have reasons to shine, and a future that can strike gold. These children are reaping the timely benefits that are coming their way. Like most, even these children are innocent and naïve. Long term plans are still under wraps. Who decides their future, would remain unanswered. However, one can only hope that Rubina, Azharuddin and Pinki are not in the yet another making of victim of circumstance.

Let’s Begin Anew

· Leave a comment ·

The year passes by and we sit to promise ourselves to learn from old mistakes and make resolutions to being anew on New Year. “This year I’ll work towards eating out less.” “I’ll quit smoking”. “I’ll save money from my salary and invest properly to secure my future.”

Year after year, we make such commitments with regard to a habit or lifestyle that we wish to bring changes into, on New Year’s Day. And we hope to remain committed till the set goal has been achieved. The idea behind is to leave some old habits to start fresh in the New Year.

Surveys of contemporary New Year’s resolution show health-related goals top the charts every year. This includes pledges to lose weight, exercise more, and quit smoking. A close second are financial resolutions, such as plans to increase savings, conquer debt, and avoid excessive spending. Rounding out any list of today’s common New Year’s resolutions are those pertaining to relationships with friends, family members, trying to be more patient with co-workers, and striving toward better communication skills.

The tradition of taking a resolution at New Year’s Day and fulfilling it in the coming year dates back to the early Babylonians. They believed that what a person does on the first day of the New Year will affect him or her throughout the year. The Babylonian’s most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

The Romans associated the New Year’s resolution with their mythical two-faced king Janus as they believed Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. That is why he became the ancient symbol for resolutions. As a result Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

Even the Chinese New Year, which falls around late January, has seen many moons. Among the several customs associated with the Chinese, the New Year resolution is housecleaning. This continues in the list as one of the most common New Year’s resolutions worldwide.

This year, with the situation of global economic recession breeding insecurity in financial and human relations, and the recent terror attack on Mumbai waking us from the slumber to stand united, the list is also undergoing a change.

According to a recent survey conducted by a website, myGoals.com, the percentage of New Year’s resolutions, which focus on family and finance, should be going up. Similarly, Business Today’s latest list includes a new and unique resolution, “fighting terror”.

The list may be endless, as it varies from person to person and from children to grandparents. Following the Julian and Gregorian calendars based on the movement of sun, January 1 has been universally recognised as the New Year’s Day and we, like others around the globe, practice the universal tradition of making and breaking the New Year’s Resolutions. The countdown has begun.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

Published in merinews.com
Let’s begin anew by Deeya Nayar-Nambiar

Scrabble Scramble

· 1 Comment ·

Over 100 million sets of Scrabble are sold in 121 countries in 29 different languages. By Deeya Nayar-Nambiar

“It’s only words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away,” sang the Bee Gees and later Boyzone. These are just lyrics but true as the word: better the vocabulary, greater are the chances of conveying a message. And like children we continue to play and learn words in our free time instead of letting our mind become a devil’s workshop. Researchers have proved that reading, crossword puzzles and such other activities for the mind are a way to good health. Toy manufacturers and the software, keeping with the trends, offer the latest updated product. Thus Scrabble continues to find place in most homes.

Of course you know Scrabble, the board game you play with three friends of yours, often insisting that the word you have coined “is there in the dictionary.” The game has certain rules that you followed religiously, such as making words across and down in a crossword pattern on a 15 x 15 game board and counting scores from the points associated with each block or letter. Who knew Scrabble would become a popular game when an architect designed it.  Yes, Alfred Mosher Butts, the brainchild behind Scrabble, was an unemployed architect in US. When Butts lost his job, he decided to explore his passion for games and words. “Mild-mannered, bespectacled Butts disliked dice games; they were all down to luck. On the other hand, he felt that all-skill games, like chess, were too highbrow for the general public.” He devised a game in 1930s that was based on luck and skill and suited every player. All his efforts to sell his game failed till one day lawyer and game lover James Brunot got the rights. Brunot made a few adjustments to the design and renamed Criss-crosswords to ‘Scrabble’.

The game was trademarked and James Brunot and his wife converted an abandoned schoolhouse in Dodgington, Connecticut, into a Scrabble factory in 1948. But the Brunots could no longer keep up with demand and licensed game maker Selchow & Righter to market and distribute the game. Today over 100 million sets of Scrabble are sold in 121 countries in 29 different language versions. The Internet also caters to its fan offering many sites where they can play scrabble online. Not only this, there are several international Scrabble tournaments and even registered word lists such as SOWPODS, a combination of the British and American word lists. Again, for the computer savvy, Scrabble software versions such as Super Scrabble, Funkitron Scrabble Download, and players with artificial intelligence are available to keep you on toe. No wonder it’s world’s best selling word game!

Published in  December 2006, btw of Chitralekha Group